NEW YORK, Aug 17
(Reuters) - The most needy U.S. Jewish
survivors of Nazi death camps can start
applying for money from a special
humanitarian fund established last year by
Switzerland, officials said on Monday.

They said $31.4 million would be made
available from a $185 million fund that
was separate from a historic $1.25 billion
settlement among Jewish groups, lawyers
for tens of thousands of plaintiffs and
two major Swiss banks concerning
unreturned Second World War-era assets.
That settlement was announced last
Wednesday.

At a news conference, New York state
Gov. George Pataki announced a
special toll-free number -- 1-800-549-6864
-- for Holocaust survivors to phone for
applications to be submitted by Nov. 30.
Distribution of the money is being
organized by the World Jewish Restitution
Organization and the New York State
Banking Department.

"Payments out of this fund are not
meant to constitute either compensation,
restitution, reparation or returns but are
made as a gesture of human relief and
solidarity, as a signal that the great
unparalleled suffering of the victims are
remembered," Swiss fund president Rolf
Bloch said.

2.

The Swiss Fund for Needy Victims of the
Holocaust/Shoa was established last year
by decree of the Federal Council of
Switzerland to provide worldwide help for
survivors, whose average age is 81.
Contributions were made by Swiss
commercial banks, Swiss industry and the
Swiss national bank.

Allocations are also being made by the
fund for Jewish Holocaust victims in
Eastern Europe, the former Soviet Union,
Israel and other countries.
Non-Jewish victims
of Nazi Germany are eligible for
assistance and can apply to the
fund in Zurich, Switzerland.

Each approved applicant will receive
the same amount of money.
There are an
estimated 100,000 Holocaust survivors in
the United States. If 60,000 apply,
then each would receive about $500. If
30,000 apply, the payment would be about
$1,000.

In the United States, an applicant for
the one-time grant from the fund must be
a Jew who lived in a
country when it was under Nazi rule, Nazi
occupation or government by Nazi
collaborators, officials said. An
applicant must also be a citizen,
permanent resident or other legal resident
of the United States and demonstrate
financial need.

Since opening last September, the
Holocaust Claims Processing Office
established by New York state has received
3,400 inquiries, resulting in 1,800
claims, officials said. Of those claims,
1,100 are on Swiss banks and 700 on
European insurance
companies.

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